ABSTRACT
Tucked away down a rugged dirt road in Dedza District in Central Malawi lies the old brick Mua Mission, established in 1902 by the Missionaries of Africa, or “the White Fathers,” as they are commonly known. A decade after Malawi gained independence from Britain in 1964, many relief organizations, largely church-based, initiated relief efforts by promoting craft as an opportunity for self-help. German missionaries established the Bangwe Weaving Factory in 1975, partnering with Malawi Council for the Handicapped to provide training to people with physical disabilities. Wood carving in Malawi was a functional craft performed by men. They produced utensils for food preparation, including long-handled cooking spoons for stirring thick nsima porridge and mortars and pestles for pounding various foods, as well as drums to create rhythms for rituals and ceremonies. Wood carving from Mua Mission artists is found all over the world, in churches, craft shops and “curio” stands, and museums across Malawi, Africa, and on other continents.
